Firestarter using Diatomaceous Earth and Organic Fibers

ABSTRACT

A fire starter which contains about 1% to 16% long porous organic fibers and 1% to 8% diatomaceous earth additives to create a firestarter that is capable of being extruded at lower pressures and contains air pockets to aid in oxidation.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

This invention relates to a fire starter construction, a method of making a fire starter with wax and wood particles, but with the additions of organic porous flammable fibers and non-organic porous material.

Fire starters are common in the form of a block of wax and wood particles(some dangerous ones with liquid organic fuel saturated in them). This type of starter is generally provided in block form of predetermined lengths. The block is placed below or next to a quantity of material to be burned, such as coal or a wood log, and is ignited using a flame source. The wax and wood particle mixture burns to ignite the charcoal or wood. While this type of fire starter is generally functional to ignite such material, it has many disadvantages.

A) Traditionally large quantity of fire starter material must be used to generate a sufficiently intense flame to ignite the burnable substrate. Even the use of flammable papers like newspaper are common.

B) It is well known in the prior art to provide a platform or iron grate onto which wood chips or newspaper and are placed to be burnt. The chips are either waxed or impregnated with a combustible fuel. In addition, the intensity of the flame generated by the burning of the wood chips or newspaper is often insufficient to ignite highly compacted wax based or real wood fireplace logs. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a fire starter which is simple to use, and that its operation, provides good results with material such as charcoal or logs.

C) Another objective of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a fire starter which is simple, yet which results in a fire starter providing a high level of performance.

D) A further objective of the invention is to provide a fire starter packaging arrangement which efficiently and economically packages fire starters for sale in industry competitive packaging.

Drawings See FIG. 1

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention.

The present invention relates generally to fire starter construction, a method of making fire starters with wax and combustible cell matter, but with the addition of organic porous flammable fibers and porous diatomaceous earth the addition of which allow for an appreciable increase in flammability, heating value and flame intensity.

2. Description of Related Art.

Traditional fire starters are common and have been used in homes for years to provide a method by which to easily start fires. Fire starters generally aim to solve a problem of igniting and maintaining wood and log fires by providing a highly flammable, continuous and intense flame that burns alongside and ignites firewood.

Artificial firelogs are a common type of firestarter. Prior art artificial firelogs commonly are composed of: wood particles or other combustible cell matter including saw dust, wood, cardboard, wood shavings, cotton liner, pulp, shredded paper, straw, pine needles, grass clippings, agricultural waste, leaves, oil palm fruit bunches, or tree bark; combustible non absorbent materials including coffee grounds, nut shells, corn shells, olive pits; a combustible wax or binder including paraffin wax, slack wax, vegetable oil or other types of flammable waxes. The combustible wax component of a firelog often contains various highly flammable expensive petroleum additives designed to increase flammability. Artificial firelogs are also commonly enveloped in a wax paper wrapper that is lined with a flammable substance to further increase the likelihood of initial ignition.

Artificial firelogs may also contain different types of additives to alter the scent of a firelog, the sound or burning or other ways to more accurately mimic that of a natural log. U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,373 discloses that a firelog could be produced with coriander seed, diatomaceous earth or other volcanic rock for the purpose of creating a natural crackling sound that mimics a natural fire. U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,306 discloses that metallurgical coke could also produce such a natural crackling sound.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 225,244; 1,050,535; 2,789,890; 3,637,355;4,040,796; 4,104,034; 4,326,854; 6,719,816; 8,007,550, 8,123,824; and 8,142,526; incorporated by reference herein, provide sample configurations and manufacturing methods of common firelogs. Typical art fire logs are composed from roughly 40-60% wood particles or other combustible cell matter and 40-60% of a combustible wax or binder component. U.S. Pat. No. 8,123,824 discloses the addition of combustible non absorbant materials. The non absorbant material component, which may for example include: coffee grounds, nut shells, husks or olive pits are designed to improve caloric content, provide increased BTU energy value when burning and to make the candle more affordable to manufacture by replacing petroleum wax content.

The main disadvantage of the using dense non absorbent materials in firelogs is the added manufacturing cost. Manufacturing firelogs require machines capable of extrusion at pressures of 700-800 PSI. As a result of this high pressure, machinery is often worn out of added labor costs are incurred. Manufacturing cost are further increased because machines are required to process these raw materials. Some firelogs also contain processed shards of dense non aborbant cellulosic material that has the potential to injure a user. Further, use of firelogs made from dense non absorbent materials result in added environmental costs. A firelog with non absorbent materials does not burn as cleanly, contains remaining residue and has a high char content. Finally, the resulting extruded and compacted firelog is often heavy and not very porous which reduces the speed of oxidation.

Artificial firelogs are commonly enwrapped, covered with starter gel or grooved to ease the preliminary ignition and continued burning. U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,796 discloses the use of notch that extends throughout the length of the firelog. This notch is designed to increase the surface area of the firelog and its overall flammability. This notch may be filled with a flammable gel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,796 also discloses the use of an overwrapper lined with flammable gel. Both of these disclosures are designed to promote initial and flammability by allowing the user to light an enveloped firelog. Although these methods are generally effective, the main disadvantage is that current firelogs are too restricting and do not provide proper airflow to take full advantage of these features. Even with these methods to aid preliminary ignition, common firelogs typically are too densely compacted to take advantage of them and often burn uncontinously and flicker.

As an object of the present invention, there exists a need to improve upon traditional art fire logs by providing a fire starter that is inexpensive to manufacture, a fire starter that is environmentally friendly, and fire starter that allows for the reduction of costly wax components by substituting in other materials. A further object of this present invention is to provide a firestarter that enables the free flow of air by being more porous for the purposes of enabling efficient oxidation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Artificial firelogs that embody features of this present invention typically compose of: combustible cell materials, and a wax or other binder blended and shaped in a method typical of firelogs available in the past. The present invention adds long organic fibers to this combination of materials during the creation of the firestarter. These long organic fibers may be supplemented by similar agricultural fibers. A typical combination of this present invention contains 1-16% organic fibers. These organic fibers are less dense than traditional firelog components and will enable the firestarter to be manufactured more cheaply and to be extruded with less wear and tear on the machinery. Organic fibers will also reduce the need for costly wax by substituting petroleum based wax for organic fiber that contains a similar energy content without a dramatic drop in overall energy content. These natural fibers will also replace some of the non absorbent cell materials and volatile organic compounds common in firelogs/firestarters of the past that will create a cleaner burn with less char, less debris, and one that is more environmentally friendly. Natural fibers added by this present invention will also create a lighter firestarter, or one where less of the compound is needed. The objective adding these natural fibers is to provide a firestarter that is inexpensive to manufacture, environmentally friendly and a firestarter that weighs less, with the idea that you are giving the consumer more as a better product.

Under another embodiment of this present invention, diatomaceous earth may also be added to the above described firestarter combination. A typical combination contains 1%-8% diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth allows for a better air flow since diatoms have air pockets within a Silica based exoskeleton. Diatomaceous earth also increases the surface area of a firestarter, resulting in a firestarter that is easier to light, maintain a flame and more receptive to the use of notches and wrappers as a method of initial fire ignition. Under this present invention, diatomaceous earth is not added for its crackling sound properties. The objective of adding diatomaceous earth is to create a resulting product that is more porous with a greater air flow which results in a stronger burning flame that does not flicker.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this present invention demonstrating one non-limiting example of a manufactured finished product. FIG. 1 is an example of one embodiment of this present invention manufactured according to the above descriptions. The firestarter 101, is molded into a cylinder shape, but other shapes are possible according to the known industrial methods of creation. The firestarter of this present embodiment, contains diatomaceous earth particles 102, and fibers 103 running the length of the firestarter to increase surface area and oxygenation during the burn. The resulting material 104 is made up of organic cellulosic material and wax, as well as a few additives. The above described embodiment is merely an example embodiment and there is no intent to limit this present invention to the configuration as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The artificial firestarter of this present invention may provide for a more economical method of production of firestarter by replacing dense non absorbent cell matter of a firestarter with long organic fiber. The replacement of dense non absorbent cell matter, either in full or in part, will allow for an equivalent energy content, but result in a product that is much more compactable and reduce the stress on machinery. The components firestarter of this present invention may include those components of a traditional firelog: combustible cell material, wax or oil or fat based binding material and non absorbent combustible cell material to meet the objectives of this present invention.

Replacing, either fully or in part, the non absorbent cell matter of a firelog with organic fibers will allow for a product that is much easier to manufacture since organic fibers are much less dense than common non absorbent cellulosic matter including: pistachio nut shells, walnut shells, coconut shells, hazelnut shells, hickory shells, beech shells, oak nut shells, olive pits, peach pits, prune pits. These typical non absorbent cellulosic materials, while generally effective as a petroleum wax substitute have a high mass per volume ratio, resulting in a very dense product that is requires a machines that are capable of reaching 700-800 psi or greater to extrude a block. This high psi requirement results in added strain on machinery that increases the wear and tear on machines. Further, the use of this dense non absorbent cellulosic require additional processing to ensure the other exterior of a firestarter block does not include the jagged edges of this cellulosic material that penetrate the surface of the firestarter, which could potentially injure users.

Raw long strained organic fiber, natural or man made, are a class of materials that have continuous filaments or discrete elongated pieces. Fibers are often produced by nature, animals, geological processes or by man. Fibers tend to be long and supple with good tensile strength. Organic fibers have the properties having much lower mass per volume ratio, typically being less dense than non absorbent cell matter of typical firestarters. In the extrusion process, the use of organic fibers in place of denser fire log ingredients reduces the need for heavy machinery and the wear and tear suffered by machines when used. Further less power is consumed because organic fibers do not require as much processing in the form of heating or cooking the material. The application of heat and energy can be concentrated on very short periods during the manufacturing process. For example, non limiting raw long strain organic fibers of this present invention include: palm fruit fiber, palm fiber, abaca fibers, bagasse fibers, coconut fibers, corn fibers, cotton fibers, flax fibers, hemp fibers, papyrus fibers, rice paper fibers, wheat straw fibers, yucca fiber, straw fiber, mulch fiber, prairie grasses. These organic fibers have a lower density than the non absorbent cellulosic material that under the present invention they will replace in whole or in part.

In one embodiment of this present invention, the following ingredients are mixed in together in the following proportions based on weight: (a) wax or flammable binder material from about 30% to about 60%, (b) combustible cell material from about 30%-60%, (c) non absorbent cell material from about 0% to about 8%, (d) long strain organic fibers from about 1% to about 20%, and diatomaceous earth about 1% to 10% The resulting fire log will have a final composition of 100% from a combination of the above components.

Non limiting examples of combustible cell material that this present invention may compose of include: saw dust, wood, cardboard, wood shavings, cotton liner, pulp, shredded paper, straw, pine needles, grass clippings, agricultural waste, leaves, oil palm fruit bunches, or tree bark.

Non limiting examples of absorbent combustible cell material that may or may not be included as a component of this present invention include: nut shells, corn shells pistachio nut shells, fruit pits and apple pits.

Non limiting examples of combustible wax or binder material this present invention may compose of include: palm oil wax, soy wax, paraffin wax, vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, soy oil, petrolatum, recycled wax.

Non limiting examples of organic long strain fibers that this present invention may compose of include: palm fruit fiber, palm fiber, abaca fibers, bagasse fibers, coconut fibers, corn fibers, cotton fibers, flax fibers, hemp fibers, papyrus fibers, rice paper fibers, wheat straw fibers, yucca fiber, straw fiber, mulch fiber, prairie grasses.

The substitution of long raw organic fibers, and porous in organic material, in whole or in part, is directly related to the ease of manufacture and better burn ability of this present invention. Because of the lessened manufacturing pressure, due to the lower density components of this present invention, a lessened layer of wax veneer is formed, so the resulting product is more porous with greater air flow which results in a stronger burning flame that does not flicker. The present invention does not flicker because organic fibers embedded throughout the present invention provide a stable base for the firestarter to wick from. Different organic fibers and non-organic modifiers, and organic binders may be used to vary the burn rate and peak temperature. During combustion of the fire starter, the material readily ignites with a high, intense flame.

The substitution of long raw organic fibers, and porous non-organic material, in whole or in part, directly relates to the present invention producing less smoke and producing a less unpleasant odor. Long organic fibers of this present invention produce less smoke partially due to their low density and better flammability. Long organic fibers of this present invention also produce a less unpleasant odor when burned because the natural organic fibers of this present invention do not have to be processed as much. Additionally, any caloric value lost is negligible since raw organic fibers usually contain similar BTU content than materials which they are replacing.

The substitution of long raw organic fibers, in whole or in part, also directly relates to the present invention weighing less for the energy that is produced. Organic fibers of this present invention weigh less and will replace components of firelogs that are heavy.

In one embodiment of this present invention, palm fiber from a palm tree are processed from palm fruit is added as an organic fiber to this firestarter. Palm fiber, which has a high energy content of 10500 BTU/lb, when substituted for dense non absorbent cellulosic material enables the firestarter to be extruded at lower pressures due to Palm Fiber's low density while maintaining the similar energy content to the dense non absorbent cellulosic material it replaces.

In another embodiment of this present invention, diatomaceous earth or crushed porous volcanic rock can be used for certain beneficial purposes. In this embodiment, the firestarter of this embodiment is composed of each of the following based on weight proportions: (a) wax or flammable binder material from about 10% to about 60%, (b) combustible cell material from about 10%-60%, (c) non absorbant cell material from about 0% to about 20%, (d) long organic fibers from about 0% to about 20%, (e) diatomaceous earth 0% to about 10%. The resulting firestarter will have a final composition of 100% from a combination of the above components.

Non limiting examples of diatomaceous earth and related silica based rock known for its beneficial porous properties include: diatomaceous earth and diatomite. Diatomaceous earth when substituted into a firestarter allows for better airflow since diatoms have air pockets within a Silica based exo skeleton. Diatomaceous earth also improves the surface area available for a fire log since diatoms provide empty air pocket reserves within the firestarter. The combination of increased airflow and a greater surface area produces a firestarter of this present invention that is capable of burning at a higher temperature without flame flickering.

The firestarter of this present invention may be shaped according to the broad variety of firestarter shapes known. For example, the present invention may have a cross sectional circular shape or a cross sectional rectangular shape. Long notches or grooves may be added onto the to increase surface area and enable ignition. These long notches may or may not be filled with combustible gel. Moreover, this present invention may be enveloped in a well-known firestarter wrapper that aids in initial combustion by providing starter material and a fuel based inner wrapper. The present invention may be composed of a variety of different modifications described and is not intended to be limited to the above described modifications.

The firestarter of this present invention is prepared by the common industrial method of creation of firelogs. Accordingly, raw non absorbent cellulosic material and absorbent cellulosic material (typically saw dust and shells) are grinded together processed to be no greater than an ⅛^(th) of an inch squared in size. Raw organic natural fibers may then be added. In one embodiment, diatomaceous earth is added and blended with the cellulosic mixture. In another container, the wax or binder is heated by flame and subsequently mixed into the blended mixtures. All components are mixed in based on their percentages of weight according to this present invention. When the mixture cools, the mixture is then placed into a machine and a cylinder or shape is formed typically by extrusion or mechanical pressing. The finished cylinder or shape is cut into, a desired length and possibly notched. Additives such as a flammable gel or external coat may be added. Finally, an outer wrap is added.

FIG. 1 is an example of one embodiment of this present invention manufactured according to the above descriptions. The firestarter 101, is molded into a cylinder shape, but other shapes are possible according to the known industrial methods of creation. The firestarter of this present embodiment, contains diatomaceous earth particles 102, and fibers 103 running the length of the firestarter to increase surface area and oxygenation during the burn. The resulting material 104 is made up of organic cellulosic material and wax, as well as a few additives. The above described embodiment is merely an example embodiment and there is no intent to limit this present invention to the configuration as shown in FIG. 1. 

1. A firestarter composing of a combination of: combustible cellulosic materials wherein the combustible cellulosic materials are present in firestarter; non absorbent dense cellulosic materials wherein the dense cellulosic materials are present in the firestarter; wax or flammable oil binder material wherein the wax materials are present in the firestarter; a natural or manmade organic fibers additive that allows fire starters to be manufactured and extruded at lower pressure.
 2. The firestarter of claim 1 wherein natural or manmade organic fibers are present from 1%, to 16%, of the firestarter.
 3. The firestarter of claim 1 wherein natural or manmade organic fibers are added for the purposes of providing a firelog that does not flicker and continuously burns.
 4. The firestarter of claim 1 where in diatomaceous earth additive is added to increase overall oxidation of the firestarter by increasing the surface area of the firestarter and creating air pockets within the firelog.
 5. The firestarter of claim 4 wherein the weight of the unit is lessened due to the substitution of organic fibers and diatomaceous earth that reduce the shipping weight of the product.
 6. The firestarter of claim 4 wherein diatomaceous earth is present from 1%, to 8%, of the firestarter.
 7. The firestarter according to anyone of the above claims wherein the combustible cellulosic materials, non absorbent dense cellulosic materials, and wax or flammable oil binder material are created by a mixture compromising: 32%, to 56%, of the combustible cellulosic material, 1%, to 20%, non absorbent dense cellulosic materials, and 32%, to 57%, wax or flammable oil binder. 